Guzmania plant named Zenith

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant named Zenith, characterized by its shiny red bracts before flowering turning to a deep red after flowering; the tips of the uppermost bracts can vary in color to a much darker greyed-purple or black-red whereas the bottom bracts have a green tip and a grey-green-red zone which is a link to the red colored lower half; lower leaves which are primarily dark green in color and which provide excellent contrast with the flower cone; purplish striped leaf sheaths, and its long lasting inflorescence.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Guzmaniasquarrosa, referred to by the cultivar name Zenith. The genus Guzmaniais within the family Bromeliaceae.

Bromeliaceae is a very large family comprised of approximately 50 generaand over 1000 species. Methods of hybridization, germination of seed andasexual propagation of species within the family are well known in theart and are described in Benzing, David H., The Biology of theBromeliads, Mad River Press (1980); Rauh, W., Bromelien, Eugen UlmerStuttgart (1987); and Zimmer, K., Bromelien, Paul Parey (1986), each ofwhich is incorporated by reference herein.

Zenith is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Laarne,Belgium. The program evolved from the importation by the inventor ofseeds of several different cultivars of Guzmania squarrosa from Ecuador.When grown out to flower, several plants were selected for theirbeautiful flowers, and were subsequently crossed with cultivars of thespecies Guzmania minor.

Zenith was originated by the inventor Henri De Meyer from ahybridization made in the program in Laarne, Belgium. The female parentwas an unnamed Guzmania minor cultivar identified as "red". The maleparent of Zenith was an unnamed Guzmania squarrosa cultivar.

Zenith was discovered and selected by the inventor after flowering inlate 1990. The new cultivar was thereafter asexually reproduced fromoffshoots under the supervision of the inventor in a controlledenvironment in Laarne, Belgium. The offshoots can be rooted with theresulting plantlets being detached from the mother plant and potted upin an appropriate growing mixture.

Horticultural examination of plants so propagated has demonstrated thatthe combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for Zenith arefirmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexualreproduction, which can be effected by offshoots as described, or byknown tissue culture techniques.

Zenith has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly when grown underdifferent conditions of temperature, light, and other determiningfactors, without, however, any variation in genotype. The followingobservations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown inLaarne, Belgium under greenhouse conditions which approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Zenith which in combination distinguish thisGuzmania as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. The bracts of Zenith are bright deep red in base color, varying to ablack-red at the top, whereas the bottom bracts have a green top and agrey-green-red zone which is the link to the red colored lower half.With younger leaves this greyish zone gradually moves up to the top.

2. The lower leaves are primarily dark green in color and provideexcellent contrast with the sturdy flower cone.

3. The inflorescence is long lasting.

4. The fully grown leaf sheaths are well formed and closely linked atthe base. The leaf sheaths have a purplish striped pattern. The stripesare so close together on the sheath's leaf blade that it looks as if thecolor of the leaf sheath is purple with only a few fine green stripes.

The accompanying photographic drawings show the inflorescence andfoliage characteristics of Zenith as clearly as possible. The photo onthe first sheet comprises a top perspective view of a substantial partof a plant of Zenith in bloom. The photo on the second sheet comprises atop view showing the inflorescence in more detail. The colors are asnearly true as possible with illustrations of this type.

Zenith can be compared in certain respects to the commercially availablecultivar Denise. Zenith and Denise have the same green foliage color,but Zenith is a little smaller in growth habit. Zenith is furtherdistinguished from Denise by its darker red bracts and its thicker andshorter flower stem.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined atLaarne, Belgium.

Classification:

Botanical.--Guzmania squarrosa cv. Zenith.

PLANT

Form: Rosette.

Height: About 38 cm when plant is in bloom. The leaf rosette has aheight of about 30 cm.

Diameter: Approximately 80-90 cm when plant is in bloom.

Growth habit: Stemless.

Method of propagation: By offshoots or tissue culture.

Foliage:

Quantity.--Some 20 to 22 leaves form a close rosette of which the bottomleaves have a length of 40 to 50 cm.

Size.--The bottom leaves have a width of about 3 to 3.5 cm and the fullygrown top leaves have a width of about 4 to 5.5 cm.

Shape.--Linear with a pointed tip; leaf edge is entire and upright.

Surface texture.--The leaf surface is ribbed and shiny, both top andbottom surfaces.

Color.--The top surface is approximately 147A and the bottom surface isapproximately 148A with a fine purple pattern.

Leaf sheaths.--Well formed and closely linked at the base, having alength of 9-14 cm up to the narrowing, and a width of 4-9 cm. They bearpurple stripes approximately 187A-B, with the stripes being so closetogether on the sheath's leaf blade that it looks as if the leafsheath's color is purple (187A-B), with only a few fine green stripes.

BRACTS

Quantity: Approximately 25 bracts are regularly spread along the lengthof the flower shaft, completely surrounding the shaft.

Size: Bracts at the bottom of the flower shaft have a length of about 40cm and a width of 5 cm, slightly narrowing. The bracts near the top ofthe flower shaft have a length of 10 to 20 cm and a width ofapproximately 5 cm, slightly narrowing and ending in a tip.

Shape: At approximately one-third of the length of the bracts, the leafblade curls outwards.

Color: The bracts at the top of the flower shaft are a generally shinyred (44A) before flowering, turning to a deep red color (46B) afterflowering. The tips of the uppermost bracts can vary in color to a muchdarker greyed-purple or reddish black 187A, whereas the bottom bractshave a green tip (147A) and a grey-green-red zone which is the link tothe red colored lower half. With younger leaves this greyish zonegradually moves up to the top.

FLOWERS

Borne: Some 15 headlike subflower systems are embedded, each separately,in the axils of one of the top bracts.

Blooming habit: Flowers bloom approximately 16 weeks after induction.Single flowers bloom only one day, and total inflorescence (from thefirst to last flower) lasts approximately eight (8) weeks.

Quantity: About 14 single flowers in each subflower system.

Size: The entire flower system (all subflowers together), which is partof the inflorescence, has a length of approximately 12 cm and a diameterof 6 cm. Each subflower system typically has a length of 4 to 4.5 cm anda width of 2.5 to 3 cm, and each individual flower is about 4 to 4.5 cmin length.

Shape: Straight in the subflower system.

Color: The bract of each flower has a red transparent color at the tophalf and a transparent white at the bottom.

Sepals: Three in number, fasciated at the base and membranous (4C). Thesepals have a length of approximately 2 cm and a width of approximately3 mm.

Petals: There are three, fasciated with each other and with the 6stamens. The petals have a length of approximately 2.5 cm and a width ofapproximately 4 mm. The petal color is 12A.

Seed capsule: A reddish brown pyxidium of about 3 cm is formed.

Reproductive organs: There is one pistil and 6 stamens; typical in shapeand color.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Guzmania plant named Zenith,as illustrated and described.